In honor of the great people of Japan during a terrible crisis, I re-post this beautiful tale. It's also remarkably popular to eat KFC on Christmas Eve. She was cut in half by the oncoming locomotive. Menu. S. Sa Gojō – The water-monster Sha Wujing from Journey to the West, often interpreted in Japan as a kappa. The Japanese are very much into their spirits. Be careful walking alone in the wee hours of the night, Japan is full of ghosts, ghouls and other characters lurking in shadowy corners. This was the song of the kago men. And wasabi and soy sauce can get a bit repetitive. Hadaka Matsuri. Yōkai (妖怪, ghost, phantom, strange apparition) are a class of supernatural monsters and spirits in Japanese folklore.The word 'yōkai' is made up of the kanji for "bewitching; attractive; calamity" and "spectre; apparition; mystery; suspicious." First the kago of Hasunuma the samurai turned in at the garden gate, then followed his lady; last came Aiyamé of the South Wind. It seems they are shy indeed, more’s the pity. Hana Ichi Monme is a typical Japanese children's game that involves a song coupled with another kids' favorite, jan-ken-pon (paper-rock-scissors). Source: F. Hadland Davis, Myths and Legends of Japan (London: George G. Harrap and Company, 1912), pp. For reference, here are 5 Japanese legends and folktales that are (potentially) scarier than Ringu. 10 Strange Urban Legends That Turned Out to Be True. Many of them have jumped straight from the pages of myth and into popular culture. Hachisakusama (Eight Feet Tall Lady) Not too long ago an eight-year-old boy was staying with his grandparents for the summer. Seppuku is the ritual suicide, which is an alternative to defeat. There are many superstitions in Japan. As a substitute, many people prepare a roast chicken dinner instead. After that, Ursilla indeed had a good number of children, each born with strange webbing between their fingers and toes. About the Show Davis entitles the story "The Rip van Winkle of Old Japan." The characteristics of the folk tales are varied, but like The Grimm Brothers and stories of other famous storytellers, the folk tales from Japan feature themes like kindness, magic, and greed. There are hundreds of them, many harmless, many tragic, and more than a few just mischievous. 10. Check out 8 weird and wonderful yokai below: Hyakkiyagyo. A Hadaka Matsuri is a type of Japanese festival, or matsuri, in which participants wear a minimum amount of clothing; usually just a Japanese loincloth (called fundoshi), sometimes with a short happi coat, and rarely completely naked. 136-39. If anyone is unfortunate to see these creatures—or to be caught up in it—then they will perish away or worse be taken captive for the twisted pleasure. There’s an ancient Japanese legend of the one hundred yōkai—monsters, ghosts, apparitions and demons—who parade through the streets on hot summer nights. Today we take a look at some weird and creepy Urban legends from Japanese Folklore. But, let’s be honest, Japanese food abroad is not always the most authentic. Because Japan just loves to punish you for basic bodily functions, this urban legend takes place in a washroom: specifically the third stall from the end of any elementary school washroom (in some variations, it's on the third floor). Peach Boy – A Folktale From Japan. :) And I have read a lot of them. Top 50 Japanese Animation or Manga Movies - Collectors Choice. Japan is one country with beautiful culture and nice people, and their beliefs are also very interesting. “Rest well, lady,” said Konojo, as she passed, and had no answer back. In legends, folktales, and local beliefs, she is often portrayed as a hideous witchlike being who kidnaps women from local villages, eats livestock and small children, and torments anybody who wanders into her territory. Teke-Teke was a schoolgirl who tripped on some train tracks at a critical moment. There are quite a few variantions on both the song and the game depending on where you live in Japan. The Two Frogs: A Japanese Folktale December 15, 2013 by Chris Kincaid 38 comments on "The Two Frogs: A Japanese Folktale" Once upon a time in the country of Japan there lived two frogs, one of whom made his home in a ditch near the town of Osaka, on the sea coast, while the other dwelt in a clear little stream which ran through the city of Kyoto. Sankai – An amorphous afterbirth spirit that takes the place of a … Do you believe in superstitions? This strange custom continues up to today where it is considered better to commit it … One of the more famous weird foods, fugu is the Japanese pufferfish, filled with a very lethal toxin. Like Japanese folklore, experts believe Chinese folk tales were influenced by West Asia and India. World of Tales. Bushido and Seppuku of Japan: Bushido has remained the warrior code that emphasizes loyalty, strength, and integrity. There are many Japanese myths, stories (folklore) and fables. Japanese folklore is the folklore of Japan.It is very influenced by Shinto and Buddhism, the two most important religions in the country.It usually includes humorous or strange characters and situations. Unlike the previous urban legends, where the creatures will come at you unprovoked, Hanako needs to be summoned. Samebito – A shark-man from the undersea Dragon Palace. Movies. ... told folktales about a mysterious network of tunnels hidden beneath the city. Return to the table of contents. We only have 8 of the best in the list, so take a look at some of the weird Japanese folklore creatures below. The author’s rendering of Japanese folktales made him famous around the globe, but, a century later, Hearn remains the wildest character of all. It also has a slew of adorable names to boot. Lucky for us, Japanese cuisine has a whole lot more to offer. ... A swordsman from a strange land is caught in a struggle between morality, righteousness, and devotion as he reluctantly agrees to take a raggedy boy and his dog to a remote, Buddhist temple. Folktales > Asian folktales > Japanese folktales > The Robe of Feathers at World of Tales - Stories for children from around the world! The yamamba is one of the best-known yokai in Japan. "Overflowing with great stories of Japan’s fantastical monsters, spirits, and other creatures of the collective imagination, The Book of Yokai is filled with solid information, a variety of new perspectives, and the kind of richness of detail that will enhance any reader’s enjoyment of Japan’s monstrous folk traditions."―Dr. These are little treasures she digs up while doing research for her writing. March 13, 2011 March 13, 2011 by Alessandro Cima. You may also like; 10 most bizarre sports. Home Folktales ... Of the Strange People not much is known, even at Mio, though it is sure they come there. The weird folklore creatures we will look into today have their back story in Japanese folklore from hundreds of years ago. Upon the roof of her kago there lay a blossoming bough. Join Otachan as she tells some of the most terrifying Urban Myths Japan has to offer...I mean it can't be any worse than Anime. Episodes 27, 52, 78, 104, 155, 181, 207 and 233 repeat stories from previous episodes and are thus omitted. However, turkeys are difficult to find in Japan and most ovens in Japanese apartments and homes are too small for a turkey. A favorite from my childhood, this Southern folk tale is bizarrely terrifying even as an adult. While smiling and playing in the garden one happy afternoon, the boy heard a strange sound coming from somewhere nearby. Speculative fiction writer, long-term resident of Japan and Bram Stoker Award finalist Thersa Matsuura explores all that is weird from old Japan—strange superstitions, folktales, cultural oddities, and interesting language quirks. From mythical foxes and shape-shifting raccoon dogs to vengeful spirits and human-eating spiders, Japanese folklore is full of fascinating creatures born from people’s observations of the inexplicable. Ryuu – The Japanese dragon. DOWNLOAD MP3 AUDIO. The stories — Japanese folktales dating to the Edo period (early 1600s to mid-1800s) or even earlier — revolve less around plot or character than around imagery.